How to help DD in 4th grad (possible ADHD) with organization

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Forum -> Parenting our children -> Our Challenging Children (gifted, ADHD, sensitive, defiant)

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amother

Thu, Jan 12 2023, 8:19 am

DD may have ADHD, we are in the process of evaluation, it is taking time, and I don't want to wait to help her until she actually qualifies. She is in 4th grade.

Her main problem, more than attention or anything else, is her organizational skills, specifically at school. Now that she is in 4th grade, it has been interfering more with school. I also have ADHD and my organizational skills are terrible, and DH is also very disorganized, but in a different way (no ADHD, but some executive function deficits). So it is a bit like the blind leading the blind over here.

Plus, I can't be at school to do it with her, so that makes it harder to implement anything. We are in Israel with like 30 kids per class, and a different teacher for almost every subject, and the teachers can't be on top of it either (I would like them to give her more help but after 4 years of trying to get them to, that isn't going to be the solution).

Basically, she loses her papers, doesn't put them where they are supposed to go, her back pack is a mess. It interferes with her schooling because she can't find things - doesn't turn in all her classwork or homework, doesn't always return signed tests, can't find the notebooks or folders or books needed for class so doesn't always do her classwork, can't always find what she needs to study for tests, opens her notebooks to do homework or study and the papers they got in class are just not there, etc.

She is doing well in school despite this with good grades, but she is starting to suffer because the teachers are complaining about it more and coming down on her about it (she almost got thrown out of a special advanced class, she is getting a bad grade in one subject just because she didn't turn in her papers even though she is good at the subject, etc.)

We have tried different things over the years with no luck, but maybe we just haven't found the right things yet.

Any advice, tips, techniques, would be much appreciated!

amother

SandyBrown

Thu, Jan 12 2023, 8:45 am

A few things we do in our school:

We have a social worker who meets with some kids once or twice a week to keep them organized- both physically and keeping track of their work planning wise.

Some classes have a very organized kid who volunteers to help other kids stay organized- often they help 3-4 kids so your kid won't be singled out.

An OT can work with your kid on organization.

We have 1 kid who the mother comes into school at the end of the day once a week to help her organize her binders and locker.

amother

Ultramarine

Thu, Jan 12 2023, 8:50 am

My dd is long diagnosed and gets help in school. But as for the backpack I hired a very responsible high school girl who helps her with her schoolwork and also helps her organize the papers in her backpack. Assuming she brings her backpack home everyday that part can easily be tackled at home.

I have no idea about the diagnosis process in Israel or the services the school needs to offer, but because my daughter has an adhd diagnosis the teachers are required to work with her to make sure her work gets turned in and not penalize her for it.

amother

Phlox

Thu, Jan 12 2023, 9:40 am

It's hard. Going through similar with son.
Are you able to get a girl or teacher to stay with her after school and physically help her organize her stuff. It's it's someone good than she can model to her how it's done and slowly give her over some responsibility. It's a shame when their lack of organization skills keeps them back from doing well in other areas.

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